Q:

Do I need to see a doctor after being involved in a truck crash?

A:

If you were involved in a large truck accident caused by a negligent driver, you probably know to seek immediate medical care if you suffered apparent injuries. But what happens if you don't believe you were hurt?

You may not believe there's a reason to see a doctor in this situation. However, if you later discover you need to file a claim for compensation, a delay in medical care may impact any possibility of reimbursement for expenses.

When to Seek Medical Treatment After a Truck Accident

Truck accident victims can make inadvertent mistakes when filing a claim that can hurt their right to compensation. One error is to not have a doctor examination immediately after the crash, even if you don't think you're injured.

Here's why you want to obtain medical care within a day or two of your accident:

Discover hidden injuries. Your health can be jeopardized if you don't seek prompt medical care. The symptoms of traumatic brain injury; neck, spinal, and back injuries; and internal bleeding and organ damage may not become apparent for days or longer after your crash. If a doctor examines you shortly after the incident, he or she might diagnose a condition sooner and provide treatment before the problem becomes a life-threatening emergency.

Document your injuries. Immediate medical care after the crash assigns evidence that your injuries were caused by the truck accident and not another incident, and that you were concerned about being hurt in the wreck.

Avoid disputes. The insurance company representatives for the trucker and trucking company will look for reasons to reduce or deny your claim. When you don't seek prompt medical care, this can raise disputes about whether another incident caused your injuries and how serious they are. An adjuster could argue that you must not have been seriously injured, or you would have seen a doctor sooner.

What happens if you delayed seeking medical care because you honestly thought you weren't hurt? This doesn't mean that you ruined your claim for compensation. An experienced truck accident attorney will have strategies to deal with this and many other potential problems in your claim. Call our office or start an online chat to schedule your free consultation to get your questions answered and learn how we can help you obtain the compensation that you deserve.